


angel on my shoulder, devil in my ear

by ttamarrindo



Category: Day6 (Band)
Genre: Angel!Brian, Angel!Jae, Angel!Sungjin, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Guardian Angels, M/M, tbh this is just smitten Dowoon and hyung line as his guardian angels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-10
Updated: 2017-09-10
Packaged: 2018-12-25 23:42:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12046761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ttamarrindo/pseuds/ttamarrindo
Summary: Other people can’t see the tiny angels after all, often look at him judgingly when Dowoon slips and talks to them out loud. It’s landed him in some very awkward situations, but Dowoon’s gotten used to their presence - had to learn how to really, because ever since they appeared on his shoulders a few years ago that haven’t shown any signs of going away.(Or, Dowoon's been nursing a crush on a customer for an embarrassingly long time now. His three guardian angels try to help.It goes about as well as you'd expect.)





	angel on my shoulder, devil in my ear

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Русский available: [Ангел на моём плече, дьявол в моих ушах](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14231646) by [double_knot](https://archiveofourown.org/users/double_knot/pseuds/double_knot)



> For that one anon in tumblr that requested this ages ago I'm not sure if you even want this anymore but this fic has been sitting on my drive waiting to be edited for ages and I just, school guys. I'm so sorry. (Also I tweaked the prompt a bit cause I needed plot, sorry about that too.)
> 
> On that note, I just finished all my big exams yesterday so yay for that, hopefully I'll have more time to write now.
> 
> This was fun to write I hope you guys like reading it as much I liked writing it <3

“You're staring again.”

“Am not,” Dowoon mumbles indignantly before he ducks down. Jae, the asshole, snorts back at him, forever amused at Dowoon and his inherent awkwardness. 

“Don’t lie, brat,” Jae scolds from his spot on Dowoon’s shoulders, shoots him a knowing look when Dowoon accidentally knocks his elbow against the bookshelf and almost sends the whole row toppling down at the sight of Pink Sweater’s smile. “You suck at it. Just go say hi.”

“No.” Dowoon can _not_ do that. There’s so many things that could go wrong with that. Dowoon could embarrass himself, for once, stumble over his own words like he always seems to do and blurt out something dumb and humiliating. Then Pink Sweater would stop coming by so he wouldn’t have to deal with him and Dowoon would never see him again and god, _what if he never sees Pink Sweater again_ -

“Dowoon-ah, _no_. There’s no need to overreact,” Sungjin cuts in gently, patting his cheek softly as he shoots Jae a glare. “You won’t embarrass yourself,” he says confidently and for a moment Dowoon actually thinks that Sungjin has faith in him, at least a little bit, but then the angel claps his hands once and says, “you won’t embarrass yourself because you’re going to do _exactly_ as I say.”

Dowoon drops his head against the bookshelf in resignation. Of course, he thinks, he should have expected this. Sungjin takes his job as his guardian angel very seriously, he wouldn't trust him so easily. Dowon’s crouching down behind the romance section now, low enough so that Pink Sweater won't see him, well, _staring_ and doing his best to hide behind the newest edition of The Notebook, trying to ignore the angels’ meddling. 

“Don’t listen to him, brat. Listen to _me_ ,” Jae demands, feet firmly planted on Dowoon’s shoulders. He tugs at a strand of his hair, forcing Dowoon to tilt his head down so Jae can speak directly into his ear. “You’re gonna go over there, saunter a little bit, and then you’re gonna tell him _if you were a drum I’d bang you all night lon-”_

“ _No,_ Jaehyung. Stop harassing him,” Sungjin snaps as he holds up his tiny hands for Dowoon to heave him up. Somewhat reluctantly, Dowoon reaches out a finger for Sungjin to climb on and then sets the angel carefully down on the top of his head. 

“Better,” Sungjin says, patting down a few strands of hair so he can take a peek at Pink Sweater. “Dowoon-ah, please don’t dye your hair again,” he chides absentmindedly. “It’s all itchy now. I can’t sit comfortably.” 

“Yeah, red was a mistake,” Jae informs him seriously. He’s staring critically at the dirty brown mop of Dowoon’s hair, the result of a few painfully long hours where Dowoon had desperately try to undo the half-assed dye job the hairstylist had given him. 

Dowoon’s scowls. It was not _him_ who had the idea in the first place, he had been completely against it actually, but Younghyun can be one stubborn bastard when he wants to be and Dowoon has come to learn that grouchy guardian angels are troublesome at best and downright petty at worst. So he had caved under the other’s insistence and gotten a dye job, only to immediately regret it and try to undo it. 

“Red was great,” comes the mumbled answer from somewhere inside Dowoon’s shirt pocket. “Would’ve been better if you had actually _kept_ it more than a week.” Younghyun’s head pokes out then, blonde hair ruffled, faded halo crooked. 

“Up,” Younghyun demands when he sees Dowoon looking at him, arms reaching out towards him. 

Huffing, Dowoon plucks the angel out of his pocket - and really, Dowoon should stop spoiling them so much. Brian only uses the pockets to nap and Dowoon much prefers plain shirts to the tight flannes Younghyun insists he buy - and sets him down on his shoulder next to Jae. 

“Hush,” Sungjin scolds them all from his place on Dowoon’s head. He likes it there, claims he has a better vantage point to spot threats. Dowoon knows he only likes it because it makes him feel taller. “What’s done is done,” he says, leaving no room for argument. “Besides,” he adds and Dowoon feels him shuffling around, sending his already messy hair into disarray. “We have incoming in one, two, three-” 

“Hi,” Pink Sweater says and Dowoon startles so hard he knocks his head against the shelve. The angels all squawk in protest at the sudden movement and Sungjin’s grip on his hair pulls tight, making Dowoon flinch at the harsh tug. 

“Uh, hi,” Dowoon greets back, feels his ears burn as he shuffles to his feet awkwardly. Out of the corner on his eye he sees Younghyun desperately trying to heave Jae up before the angel falls from Dowoon’s shoulder. 

For all that the three of them claim to be his guardian angels, they don’t have any wings to show it. They can’t fly or flutter around or do whatever it is that tiny angels are supposed to do. Dowoon knows that they all get scared easily when they’re on the ground; too tiny for the world. He can still remember Sungjin’s panicked cries when Dowoon accidentally forgot him on the living room floor and his mother almost sucked him into their vacuum cleaner. 

“Bad day again?” Dowoon asks, fakes brushing dust off his shoulder to offer Jae some help. He keeps his eyes on Pink Sweater even as he feels Jae hanging onto his fingers, doing his best to remain inconspicuous. 

Other people can’t see the tiny angels after all, often look at him judgingly when Dowoon slips and talks to them out loud. It’s landed him in some very awkward situations, but Dowoon’s gotten used to their presence - had to learn how to really, because ever since they appeared on his shoulders a few years ago that haven’t shown any signs of going away. 

“Yeah, you could say that,” Pink Sweater answers, smiles politely back at him. It looks strained though, the uptick of his lips smaller than the bright grin Dowoon is used to seeing from him. “School’s been hard lately,” he offers as an explanation. He keeps drumming his fingers against the shelve that’s separating them, a constant beat that makes Dowoon want to reach out and thread their fingers to hold him still. 

From his shoulder, Younghyun snorts. Dowoon isn’t sure how exactly but he knows that the angels can tell what’s going through his head, what he’s thinking. It’s embarrassing, frankly a bit invasive too, and they often use it against him - blackmail him into buying stupid things like shirts with pockets or tiny skateboards but again, Dowoon’s gotten used to it. 

The only time Dowoon had asked how they did and if they could maybe stop it, please, Sungjin had patted him on the cheek and told him not to worry about it. Dowoon didn’t ask again. He’s had them fluttering around on his shoulders for so long now that he knows it’s better not to question them. 

“Oh, that, uh, that sucks,” Dowoon says, much too late and much too awkward because Pink Sweater still looks like he’s waiting for an answer. He can’t help but grimace at his own words. Dowoon hates his awkwardness in moments like this, hates that he sounds indifferent and straight up cold because he just can't seem to find the right words. 

Dowoon wants to say something nice, offer some advice maybe, some comfort, just say _something_. But then - “I’m sure sure I could take the stress of your shoulders, if you know what I mean,” he blurts out. 

Shit, he thinks frantically, beyond horrified at what just came out of his mouth and listens mournfully as Younghyun barks out a laugh and Sungjin starts scolding Jaehyung in earnest. 

Pink Sweater blinks once, twice and then ducks his head down, shy almost, the back of his neck red. Dowoon bites his tongue, fighting down the urge to swat at his hair. He can _feel_ the three angels shifting up there, scrambling around for control. 

It happens sometimes, when Dowoon is not paying enough attention - like now, when he was too busy watching Pink Sweater’s smile break across his face. One of them, usually Jae or Sungjin, will take control over his words, over _him_. 

It’s jarring and usually ends up with Dowoon humiliating himself but no matter how many times Dowoon tells them to knock it off they keep on doing it. _It’s for your own good_ , Sungjin tells him, _we are your guardian angels, we’re just looking out for you_. 

“I meant the piano,” Dowoon hurries to explain. He shuts the angels’ bickering out, forces himself to keep on going. “The key, for the piano. I-” 

“I know,” Pink Sweater cuts in softly. He’s looking at Dowoon now, still flushed red, but the smile curling up his lips feels more amused now - clearer, if a bit embarrassed. “Thank you.” 

“It’s no problem,” Dowoon answers hurriedly as he takes out the key that opens the piano out of the bundle where he stashes the rest of the keys his boss gave him to take care of the bookstore. 

“Here,” he says, pretends he doesn't notice the way their fingers brush when Pink Sweater reaches out to take the keys from him. “Have, uh, fun.” 

“Right. Thank you.” Pink Sweater laughs softly, smile more present this time around, before he turns and makes his way to the old upright piano standing by the corner of the bookstore. 

“Coward,” Jae grumbles from his spot on Dowoon’s hair. There’s a scramble of movement up there before Jae’s tiny head appears dangling right in front of his nose, making Dowoon go cross-eyed in an effort to look at him. “If had just let me talk to him, then-” 

“ _No_.” Dowoon pinches the back of Jae’s shirt and plucks the huffy angel away, setting him down on his shoulder. “Just stay quiet, okay?” 

“But-” 

“Dowoon-ah,” Younghyun starts, tugging at Dowoon’s ear to get him to pay attention. “Normally, I would agree with you, but you’ve been pining over this guy-” 

“Pink Sweater,” Jae cuts in. He was the one who coined the name after all, started calling the customer Dowoon’s been harboring a crush on by that awful nickname one day after the boy came in wearing an - according to Jae - equally awful sweater. Dowoo had refused to use it at first because the sweater really wasn't that bad, but ultimately the nickname stuck. Admittedly, it is less embarrassing than calling him Lovely Smile, which was what Dowoon had been using before. 

“-fine, pining after _Pink Sweater_ for a month now,” Younghyun says. “Let us help, it’s getting kind of humiliating.” 

Dowoon grimaces. He knows it’s embarrassing - he _knows_. Dowoon’s crush on Pink Sweater has become a problem, grown too big, too out of control, especially because Dowoon has absolutely no idea how to approach the guy. 

Jae himself has many, of course. Dowoon has found himself blurting out more than a few cringey pickup lines more times than he would have liked. Sungjin too, has tried to help in his own way but Dowoon is awkward at best and nothing Sungjin tells him to do ever comes out right. Dowoon only took this job because bookstores are quiet little places where he’s not required to have lengthy conversations with any of the customers. He didn't expect to actually want to get to know one of them. 

But then Pink Sweater came. 

The first time Dowoon saw him the boy had been running away from the rain pouring outside the shop. Dowoon had watched him as he shivered and shuffled around the many bookshelves, running his fingers over the spines of the books and staining the carpeted floor dark with rain water. Dowoon had been about to offer some help, a towel maybe, but then Pink Sweater had spotted the upright piano by a corner of the bookstore and drifted towards it like he couldn’t have stopped himself even if he had wanted to. 

And Dowoon- well, Dowoon had seen the slumped shoulders and the defeated sigh that came when the boy saw the piano was locked and opened it up for him. 

After that, Pink Sweater kept on coming back. He would wander sheepishly between the many bookshelves, his eyes always straying towards the piano the owner kept more as decor than anything else. 

Younghyun had been the one to tell him to open it up for him again. Sungjin had said that he would get in trouble with the owner if he did and tugged at his hair until Dowoon promised not to do it. The old man had explicitly told him to keep the customers away from the piano, after all and Dowoon needed this job, he couldn't afford to get in trouble. 

But then Jae had taken control when Dowoon had been too busy going over stock to pay much attention to him and the next thing he knew the piano was open and Pink Sweater had been smiling delightedly up at him, bright and warm and just a breath away and Dowoon had found himself thinking that maybe getting in trouble could be worth it. 

“Look,” Sungjin starts and something in his tone makes Dowoon snap to attention, know instinctively that he won’t like what comes next. “If you let me have control for just a second, I can assure you-” 

“ _No_ ,” Dowoon says again, ignores Sungjin’s protests. The last time Sungjin took over Dowoon ended up telling Pink Sweater that he had pretty elbows. He’s not going through that again. 

“Dowoonie, just admit that you need the help.” Younghyun is frowning at him now, willing him to understand. Dowoon knows that they’re just trying to help him but honestly, they don’t do a very good job as much as guardian angels go. 

Dowoon had even doubted that guardian angels was what they were at some point in his life. They don't have wings, Younghyun’s halo is chipped and doesn't glow as brightly as Sungjin’s does. Jae doesn't even _have_ a halo and he curses enough for the three of them. They cause more problems than they know how to solve too, get Dowoon into trouble constantly, almost willingly. 

Still, they’re a comforting, familiar weight on his shoulders, and maybe they’re also the reason why Dowoon manages to find enough courage in himself to take one, two, three steps and approach the worn-down piano where Pink Sweater is hesitantly teasing at the keys. 

“That’s a nice song,” Dowoon forces himself to get out, sees Pink Sweater falter, fingers stuttering over a chord before he takes in a breath and lets them fall against the keys. 

“Thanks,” he says, though Dowoon almost doesn’t hear him over the bickering coming from the top of his head, his shoulders. Sungjin is scrabbling around, asking him what he think he’s doing, _oh god, Dowoon-ah do not mess up, do not-_

“Is it your song?” Dowoon asks. Up in his hair, Jae makes a surprised sound high in his throat, like he can't quite believe Dowoon’s actually talking to his crush and said crush is not running away from him. 

“Yeah,” Pink Sweater answers. His voice is soft, shy almost, but it doesn’t waver. Dowoon can tell that he’s proud of it, unfinished as the song seems to be. And he should be really, the melody he had been playing rings true and clear and it has Younghyun sliding down Dowoon’s arm so he can be closer to the piano and listen to it better. “It’s something I've been working on for a while.” 

“I like it,” Dowoon says and hesitantly takes a seat besides him on the worn piano bench. “But maybe you could add more rhythm to it, tie it down somewhat.” 

“Rhythm,” Pink Sweater breathes back, like it had never occurred to him before. Dowoon winces. Maybe he overstepped, music is personal and so very, very intimate and Dowoon knows from experience that musicians can get picky and defensive when faced with criticism. 

He definitely overstepped. Dowoon’s gone and messed everything up, offended his crush and destroyed any chance he had of making a good impression. He should have listened to Sungjin, even Jae’s awful pick up line would have been better than _criticizing his work_. God, Dowoon is such an idiot, he shouldn’t have said anything, just kept his mouth shut and pine in peace and- 

“How?” Pink Sweater asks. Dowoon almost doesn’t hear him over the loud bickering of his three angels. Sungjin is berating him for his lack of tact and both Jae and Younghyun keep fighting over music structure and whatnot but all Dowoon can really focus on is Pink Sweater’s hands flying across the keys, changing the verse of his song into something heavier. “Like this?” he asks and - and he doesn't sound offended at all, just curios. 

“No, I-” Dowoon breathes in, forces himself to calm down. His angels have quieted down somewhat, at least enough so that Dowoon can hear himself think. “I meant something more like this.” 

Dowoon lets his hands fall down on the piano, a breath away from the other’s. He isn’t a very good pianist, doesn’t consider himself one at all really, but he knows about beats. If there’s something Dowoon understands, it’s _rhythm_. So he plays what he knows, shows the other boy what he meant when he said _tie the song down_ because Pink Sweater’s melody is beautiful, but it’s airy too, sounds like it can float away and get lost in empty space. 

“I get it.” Pink Sweater had been staring at the piano the whole time Dowoon had been playing but now - now he’s looking directly at Dowoon, who feels his ear burn at the sudden attention. “I get it, it’s- it’s like this right?” he asks and then he’s playing himself, fingers brushing against the keys too fast for Dowoon to follow. 

He listens though, recognizes the changes in the song for what they are. The melody is still soft, still a promise of what it could be if it was finished, but it’s more grounded now; has a set of chords the melody can fall back on, leaving it free to rise and fall with no fear of sounding empty. 

“Play with me,” Pink Sweater says after a few minutes have gone by where all Dowoon did was listen to him. “Please,” he adds, smiles at Dowoon in the same breath. 

“I don’t - I mean I’m not that good, really,” Dowoon stutters, ears going red, but Jae is not-so-quietly urging him to play and Sungjin is whispering frantic encouragements and then - then Younghyun slides down from his arm to come stand right next to his hand and kicks at his fingers until they fall against the keys, slotting perfectly into a harmonizing chord. 

Pink Sweater chuckles, bumps his shoulder good-naturedly against Dowoon’s and then turns to the piano again, letting his unfinished song fill the room. 

Dowoon stumbles along, pushes at the keys to create a steady rhythm for the other’s melody. Younghyun points at the keys he needs to press and helps Dowoon recover when he accidentally loses focus and misses the beat, too busy staring at the small smile playing on the other’s boy lips. 

When the melody drifts to a stop Sungjin begins clapping excitedly, Jae whooping in delight next to him. Dowoon flushes at the praise, turns even redder when Pink Sweater grin up at him, warm and gummy and as beautiful as his melody. 

“Thank you,” he rushes out, excitement coloring his voice bright. “I - that was great. That was _amazing_. I didn’t know what to do with this song until - well, until _you_. Thank you.” 

“It’s nothing,” Dowoon answers, clamps his mouth shut not a moment after because he can _feel_ Jae pushing for control, another humiliating pick up line at the tip of his tongue. He shakes his head sharply to warn the angel away and then, when he feels Jae relent, he says, “it was fun. I’m just glad I could help.” 

“You did,” Pink Sweater reassures him before he stands up from the piano bench and takes out his phone to check the time. “It’s getting late now so I should probably go but -” he hesitates then, shuffles sheepishly on his feet before he takes in a deep breath and asks, “could I come by tomorrow? I have a few other songs and I - I would really like it if you could listen to them, give me your opinion maybe.” 

“Sure,” Dowoon blurts out, can’t quite believe what he just heard. “Sure, yeah. I would like that.” 

“Great!” Pink Sweater beams. “It’s a date!” 

“What?” Dowoon asks, staring at the other boy wide-eyed and just this side of dumbstruck. “A date?” He swallows. 

“Yeah,” Pink Sweater smiles, eyes crinkling at the corners and turning into crescents. “A date. I’m Wonpil, by the way. It’s nice to meet you, properly at least.” 

“I’m - _I’m the best you’ll ever have_.” Dowoon slaps a hand over his mouth, cheeks flushing stark red and awful and _oh, god Jae why._. “Dowoon,” he chokes out finally, wishing for the ground to just swallow him up already. “I’m Dowoon.” 

“Dowoon,” Wonpil repeats, trying out the name and Dowoon is relieved to find him smiling still, clearly more amused than annoyed. “I’ll see you tomorrow, yes?” 

“Yes,” Dowoon agrees readily, “I’ll see you tomorrow.” 

With one last blinding smile Wonpil is gone, leaving Dowoon staring at the empty spot where he had been standing before and wondering if that really happened. 

“It did,” Sungjin reassures him, though he himself is scratching at his head, turning his halo around and around in confusion. “I don’t know _how_ but it did.” 

“It was because of me, obviously,” Jae chips in from his spot on Dowoon’s left shoulder. “No one can resist my pick up lines.” 

“Please, it’s a wonder Wonpil didn’t go running,” Younghyun huffs, reaching out towards Dowoon to be picked up. “I’m glad though, the boy has talent. I like him,” he says to Dowoon, placing one tiny hand on Dowoon’s cheek so he can look him in the eyes. “He’ll be good for you.” 

“Yes,” Sungjin agrees. “Now we just have to plan the date for tomorrow. It has to be perfect. We need to impress him.” 

“True,” Jae says. “We also need to get Dowoon laid.” 

“No,” Sungjin snaps sharply. “No sex until the tenth date, at the very least.” 

“Oh, _come on_ ,” Jae scoffs. “Look at the poor boy,” he says, and Dowoon takes offense at the way he gestures at the whole of him. “He needs some action. Immediately.” 

“You _do_ remember we can't exactly leave his side for very long, right?” asks Younghyun dryly, making Jae blanch. 

“Okay, on second thought maybe hold back on the getting laid part,” he stutters out, looking at him critically. “I do _not_ need to see that.” 

“Stop,” Dowoon pleads, doing his best not to flush. He’s done that enough for a day already. “We’re just gonna talk,” he mumbles, though he can’t deny just how pleased the thought of it makes him. Dowoon wants to spend time with Wonpil, it doesn’t matter to him what they do. 

“That’s cute,” Sungjin grins at him, clicks his tongue at him when Dowoon mutters a defeated _please stay out of my head._

“We’re just looking out for you, Dowoon-ah,” Younghyun reminds him softly. “One day you won’t need us anymore, so let us take care of you while we can.” 

“Yeah,” Jae agrees and Dowoon finds himself smiling helplessly. As annoying as his three angels can be Dowoon can't imagine life without them anymore. He doesn't think he wants to either. 

“Let’s not get sappy, yeah?” Jae grouches though Dowoon knows instinctively that he’s smiling too. “Like Sungjin said, we have a date to plan.” 

“Could we - I don’t know, just leave it to me. Please?” 

“Of course we can’t,” Sungjin informs him very seriously. “You’re hopeless. You need our help.” 

“But-” 

“No buts, now stop lingering around go close the shop. It’s late already and we need to decide what you’re wearing tomorrow.” 

“Fine,” Dowoon sighs and does as told. 

And really, he thinks later when he’s standing in front of his mirror with his tiny angels bickering over what shirt he should wear and if it should have pockets or not, the three of them are certainly annoying, but Dowoon can admit that as far as guardian angels go, they’re not that bad. 

**Author's Note:**

> Please, please please tell me what you thought. Comment your favorite part too! Comments give me life guys. Also I Loved You had me in tears and I'm already planning something for that one too. BriWoon Rise.
> 
> As always, find me on [tumblr](https://jahehyung.tumblr.com/) / [curious cat](https://curiouscat.me/ttamarrindo)
> 
> Last thing, if someone somehow got inspired by this and wanted to maybe, possibly draw tiny hyung-line angels and awkward Dowoonie I would be forever grateful I need that in my life.


End file.
